I
would like to shed some light on a subtle but significant idea concerning
what I call the “circle of self.” We will examine the secret mechanism
in us that drives us through certain unconscious life cycles where, in
moments of crisis, we think we are making wise choices, only to realize we
have chosen against ourselves once again.

To begin, we must examine two important ideas. First, the most vital
moments in our lives occur when we are most conscious of ourselves, when
we are fully present to all of the lessons this same moment brings into
our awareness. It is in these moments that transformation of self and
awareness of self are as one movement.

I hate being disappointed. There's nothing worse than getting your hopes
up only to have them squelched when something doesn't turn out the way you
plan. And that's precisely why I hate to disappoint others. Over the years
I've watched myself go on autopilot when someone asks for a favor, saying
"yes" when I know in my gut that I'd rather not do it. Or I've
suffered, spending too much time trying to come up with a graceful way to
let someone down so they wouldn't feel hurt or angry at my "no."

At our core, most of us hate to hurt or disappoint people. As a matter of
fact, many avoid it like the plague. Here are a few reasons why:

Soul Contracts can be wonderful, loving
connections between people that help create growth, transformation, and
even access to unconditional love. (Laaaaa! Can you hear the birds
tweeting and the harps playing?) People always want to know what the Soul
Contract is between themselves and their partner, brother, mother, best
friend… After all, once you know the Soul Contract, you’re on track to
creating a more successful relationship.

Most of us know the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you. It works fine in many circumstances. If you're tempted to yell
at the guy who just cut you off in traffic, you take a deep breath and
give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, it could be you someday. You
follow the Golden Rule when you visit a friend who's sick, because you
would want the same treatment if you become sick.

Living On The Edge: The Deep Truth of Our Destiny and Our Fate
by Gregg Braden

During the last years of the Cold War, I had a front row seat as a senior systems designer in the defense industry to one of the most frightening times in the history of the world, and the thinking that led to it. During the 44 years of the most potentially lethal, yet undeclared, war in human history, the super powers of the
United States and the former Soviet Union did something that seems unthinkable to any rationally minded person today. They spent the time, energy, and human resources to develop and stockpile somewhere in the neighborhood of 65,000 nuclear weapons—a combined arsenal with the power to microwave the Earth, and everything on it, many times over.

Is a Past Life
Connection Creating Havoc In Your Relationship?
by Ines Martens

Have you ever stayed in a relationship even though it was really painful and detrimental to you? Have you ever wondered why you kept going back to a relationship even though on a rational level you knew that you deserved better? Have you ever felt an inexplicable tie to a person that surpassed reason? Past life connection can create havoc in your current life and keep you feeling powerless and stuck, however you can reclaim your power by using a technique that is now accessible to everyone.

Planting the seed of focus in your life involves
becoming clear about what your values are. What matters to you? What do
you hold in high regard? What do you respect and require in your life?
What can’t you live without (or with)?

What is required to feel good about
yourself is not the same from person to person. What you require for
self-esteem is not necessarily what another person requires. It is
important to discover what makes you feel worthy, confident, and happy
about who you are.

More often than most of us care to tell, we
run into unwanted moments that seem to challenge the very fabric of our
being. Almost anything can be the proverbial straw that breaks us: a
friend's betrayal, loss of health or a loved one, unexpected financial
strain. Even a shattered dream can throw us into a dark nightmare.
Certainly, no one gets out of his or her bed in the morning thinking,
"Today I hope to encounter impossible circumstances!"

The Top 5 Ways to Communicate with Your Pet for Non-Psychics
by Danielle MacKinnon

I've been working with animals professionally for over 10 years now, and not surprisingly, I've had the opportunity to learn a lot from
them. What may surprise you, however, is how many different NON-PSYCHIC ways they’ve shown me that they are open to deepening their connection and communication with their humans! People usually assume that Animal Communicators must have the BEST relationships with their pets since they can “hear” every little thing their pets want them to know, but you know what? This isn’t always the case. As you'll see by this list, you don't have to be psychic to have a superior connection with your pet; you just have to be willing to try out some new things.

Responding
to the Bullycides: How We Can Stand Up & Honor Their Memoriesby Rachel Simmons

It’s been said that once you have a child, you look at the suffering of
other families in a different way. You know what it means to love someone
with your entire being, in a way that you never could have imagined before
bringing your child into your life. In a way, every child becomes your
child.

Forgiveness is a journey
toward freedom from our past. It can be transformational, complex, is not
to be taken lightly and cannot be commanded. If you are patient and open
to the unfolding of forgiveness, your desire to forgive will be fulfilled.

Secrets
For Sensitive People To Find Relationships That Workby Judith Orloff MD

Loneliness gets to some more than others. But why it hangs on isn’t
always apparent when read by traditional medical eyes. In my medical
practice and workshops I’ve been struck by how many sensitive, empathic
people who I call “emotional empaths” come to me, lonely, wanting a
romantic partner, yet remaining single for years. Or else they’re in
relationships but feel constantly fatigued and overwhelmed. The reason
isn’t simply that “there aren’t enough emotionally available people
‘out there,’” nor is their burnout “neurotic.” Personally and
professionally, I’ve discovered that something more is going on.

I’m so thrilled to
share my latest reading with you. It happens to be a rather personal
experience, but I’m willing to share it because I believe this type of
reading has the potential to change lives. In fact, I genuinely trust that
a session like this holds the power to awaken us to our soul’s plan.

In my case, this reading
helped me to eliminate the root cause of a hidden obstacle in my life.
This obstacle had been subconsciously blocking me from fulfilling a
long-awaited goal, yet I wasn’t even aware of its presence. Of course
this is why subconscious blocks can be so destructive, because they can
hold us back for years without us having any clue that they exist. Yet it
took only one reading with intuitive Danielle MacKinnon to bring what was
blocking me to my awareness. I was then quickly on my way to fulfilling my
passion—now unencumbered by what had been holding me back.

Do
you feel stuck in one or more areas of your life? Do you lack the time to
regularly renew yourself and enjoy your interests? Are you relying on
caffeine, anti-depressants or alcohol to manage your stress and emotional
well-being?

Never doubt that a small group
of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the
only thing that ever has. — Margaret Mead

Doing good is no longer just for the
bleeding hearts, but rather is a way of living. I love the notion of do-gooding
and find it akin to breathing, bathing, and being. You cannot escape the
continuous reminders to go green, be socially responsible, or save the
planet. Our culture is infused with a sense of urgency to make a
difference through our daily actions, decisions, and dollars. This section
is full of ideas on how you can leave a lovely legacy not only by being
you but also by reaching beyond yourself.

Check Your Premises: Do You Face
Challenges As The Warrior or The Wise One? by Trish Whynot, D.C.Ed.

Do you believe in miracles—changes that occur as if by magic? Or do your
premises—your basic assumptions about reality—exclude their
possibility? If your premises are based on a Warrior mentality they will
promote fighting for what you want and defending what you have. But if
they are based on a Wise One mentality they will promote feeling your
disappointment all the way back to its roots for the purpose of healing
and growth. A Warrior mentality will promote working hard to earn what you
want and a Wise One mentality will promote working hard to become the
person you need to be in order to receive it. Our premises determine our
responses to life; they determine our capacity to thrive physically,
socially and financially. And our free will is exercised in determining
which premise we choose to adopt.

In one way or another, we
often feel “trapped” by life. If it weren’t true, we wouldn’t
spend as much time as we do trying to “escape” our circumstances.
We’re so involved with imagining and swimming to our own Fantasy Island,
we never consider this important question: what if the condition we wish
to escape were only an illusion that feels
real? How would such a realization change our lives?

10 Steps to Manifest Loving
Relationshipsby Jason Nelson
Have you ever wondered why you bring the same type of person into your
life or why people leave when they do? It can be frustrating, not knowing
why patterns don't change, even when we want them to. We end up blaming
ourselves or others when relationships stop working and fall apart.
Wouldn't it be helpful if we understood the enigma of chemistry
between people? Understanding what brings people in and out of our life
empowers us to choose who is in our life contributing to our peace, health
and joy. To move closer to our spirituality and find success in our
endeavors, we must strive to embrace the people who are in tune with our
life's harmony.

Co-Creation: Reclaiming What Is
Rightfully Yours Through Love by William Frank Diedrich

In order to co-create we have to clean up blaming and
resentments. Co-creation is creating using the guidance of your Inner
Being, your Higher Self. Anything you are holding against another is
holding you. Anything you are holding against yourself is holding you.
Power is found in complete responsibility.

"By and large, these days men suffer greater deprivation than women,
because women are allowed to play the power game, but men have been
blocked from expressing their femininity" - Richard Rohr,
author, A Wild Man's Journey

Since each of us is at one and
the same time a physical and spiritual being, everything in our lives,
every problem we confront, has both a physical and spiritual aspect. Even
those things that seem simply physical in nature, such as our bodies, are
in truth also spiritual. It makes sense then that if we go deeply
into our relationship with our physical selves that we will soon find
ourselves in the realm of spirit. At the root of everything lies our
relationship with God[1]. We find Him wherever we look, even when we look
into our most bodily selves as we struggle with weight

How to Stay
Positive… With a Negative Vibration Spouse or Partner by Jackie
Lapin

People who are making the change to a conscious and spiritually-driven
life often discover that they are yoked to someone who is not prepared to
come along on that journey. The partner is mired in his or her own
negative thoughts and emotions, and meets any topic of spiritual
enlightenment, positive vibration and conscious creation with a wall of
resistance. Don’t despair…lots of others have gone through this phase
too, and come out on the other side with a happier life. Let’s look at
what you can do in this situation:

Even in the healthiest of relationships, opportunities abound to find fault, criticize or "tweak" the other person no matter whether we are talking about a mate, a child or a friend. Most of us were raised in an environment where rather than focusing on the positive, we were taught to zoom in and dwell on the negative. Breaking that habitual way of thinking is a matter of conditioning our minds to refocus and learn to love with abandon, without any requirements, without any rules and without any limitations.

Here is our list of top ten ways to condition yourself to love
unconditionally.

A New Approach
To Igniting And Sustaining Creativity
by Anne Paris, PhD

Mary squirmed in her chair as she continued, “I just don’t know what
is wrong with me. Why can’t I just do it? I feel stressed all the time
when I’m not writing. ‘I should be writing’, I say to myself, but I
don’t. I think, if I just get the laundry done, then I’ll be free to
sit down and write the next chapter. But then I don’t. Maybe I need to
exercise first, and I go for a run. I get back home, fully intending to
sit down at the computer. But I don’t. And all the while I’m feeling
bad and stressed about not writing. What is wrong with me? Maybe I’m
just lazy. Or maybe unconsciously I don’t really want to write. Or maybe
it just means that I’m not really cut out to be a writer. ‘Writers
write’, I tell myself.

Money is neither good nor bad; it is energy. It is the way money is used that determines whether or not it is a positive energy that will benefit you and others. If you come from the highest level of integrity with your money, if you make it in ways that benefit people, through shifting their consciousness, or through serving and making a contribution, by giving your best, honoring others, and putting attention and consciousness into what you do, you are making a contribution to humanity and to yourself. When you use money in ways that serve your higher purpose and bring you and others joy, you are creating money of light. The more money is made and spent with integrity and light, the more it becomes a force of light for
everyone.

The whole purpose to be on this earth plane is for your soul to evolve and go back to the light from which it came. In order to do this you must experience “Love” and let go of any fears. We are joined in from lifetime to lifetime by “helpers” with whom we refer to as “Soul mates”. There are two types of Soul mates: Companions and Karmic. I will explain those later. First we need to explain your soul’s purpose.

“Love, compassion, and tolerance are necessities, not luxuries.
Without them, humanity cannot survive.”

The essence of all religions is love, compassion, and tolerance. Kindness
is my true religion. No matter whether you are learned or not, whether you
believe in the next life or not, whether you believe in God or Buddha or
some other religion or not, in day-to-day life you must be a kind person.
When you are motivated by kindness, it doesn’t matter whether you are a
practitioner, a lawyer, a politician, an administrator, a worker, or an
engineer: whatever your profession or field, deep down you are a kind
person. Love, compassion, and tolerance are necessities, not luxuries.
Without them, humanity cannot survive. If you have a particular faith or
religion, that is good. But you can survive without it if you have love,
compassion, and tolerance. The clear proof of a person’s love of God is
if that person genuinely shows love to fellow human beings.

A Valentine’s Day
Meditation on Love and Relationships
by Mark A. Michaels (Swami Umeshanand Saraswati) and Patricia Johnson (Devi
Veenanand)

Tantra is an ancient Indian spiritual tradition that recognizes human
sexuality as one avenue among many for achieving mystical experience.
Although the number of Tantric texts that deal directly with sexual
activity is quite small, most Westerners associate Tantra with love, sex,
and relationships. While Western ideas about Tantra are thus somewhat
misguided, if you can bring a Tantric sensibility to love and
relationship, your love life will be richer and more fulfilling.

This month my husband and I
are celebrating our eighth anniversary -- safely and well beyond the Seven
Year Itch. We have a good marriage, and much to celebrate. What makes it
work? I don’t know -- luck, probably. Or maybe it’s because it
resembles, more than the relationships I’ve had with some men, the
neglected, yet deeply important bond I shared with my childhood best
friend.

Take
Me to Truth, Undoing the Ego: An Interview with Authors Nouk Sanchez and
Tomas Vieira

by Gene Bogart, Forgiveness TV

Gene: As potential readers see literally thousands of
spiritually oriented books out there, how does Take Me to Truth,
Undoing the Ego present a unique benefit to those who sincerely desire
spiritual awakening?

Nouk and Tomas: This is not your intellectual brand
of awakening. This is for those who genuinely want to undo the root cause
of all suffering – the ego. We offer a guide for those who wish to
participate in the daily practice of undoing their ego. Awakening occurs
through the conscious application of three major principles being, Quantum
forgiveness, Radical self-inquiry and Now moment presence. Many religious
and spiritual studies are predicated on the belief that God created this
world; our book is based on the principles of A
Course in Miracles, which explains that God did not create this world,
we did. From absolute Oneness, which is Infinite Love there emerged a
“tiny mad idea” of separation, an illusion of separate individuals. We
fell into a dream of this present world of time and space; a dream of
duality.

When ancient peoples considered the vastness of the universe, they felt something very surprising, they felt connected, a spiritual connection cannot be seen or touched, yet we have a way to verify invisible things by using a faculty more powerful and reliable than the five senses—consciousness.

So much judgment transfers via the media and our social interaction into our subconscious minds. We hear things such as someone is "on a path of self-destruction" or acts as "his own worst enemy." Rarely do we hear accolades of emotional rebirth or those rising from adversity or overcoming obstacles. We need to turn our attention and focus to different routes of growth, different methods of self-evolution and I invite you to consider the use of words both actual and coined for the exploration of this phenomenon we call spiritual growth.

One day this past winter, I decided to take in a talk on the Buddhist
mother of compassion, Kuanyin. Interested people, and not only women,
flooded out the doors of the bookstore where it was being held. I asked
myself, why do other talks barely fill the room while this one has a line
flowing out onto the street? A good guess might be that people are sick of
living in a world in which masculine aggressiveness and control have run
roughshod over more feminine qualities like love, patience, or a feeling
for healing and harmony. I believe many more people wish that qualities
like gentleness, tenderness, patience, receptiveness, closeness to nature,
and the readiness to forgive were more valued in our world. Let’s start
right now with five ways all of us, men and women alike, can honor and
cultivate the qualities of our feminine side.

We are not born, in essence,
American, French, Japanese, Christian, Muslim, or Jew. These labels are
attached to us according to where on the planet our births happen to take
place, or these labels are imposed upon us because they indicate our
families’ belief systems.

Whether you are in a
happy time with your partner right now or experiencing stress, there is
one powerful, easy strategy you can use by yourself to create a more
pleasant atmosphere in your home, almost instantly! At the same time, this
new tactic will begin mending the chronic issues that recur between the
two of you over and over. I call it a Loving Action, and, like all the
Loving Actions I teach, it is based on universal spiritual principles, or
Spiritual Partnership.

Love,
Passion and a Great Relationship: A Special Valentine’s Day Love Ritual
for Singles by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

Evoke the energies of love, passion and a great relationship on the
holiday of hearts by calling in divine match makers and asking the Gods
and Goddesses of Love to bring you home to true love ... and bring your
true love home to you.

I was talking with a friend today. We were having this nice, empowering conversation, sharing ideas - and then we started analyzing another mutual acquaintance (already sound familiar?). Nothing terrible, but my friend astutely pointed out when our focus started slipping more toward the other person's shortcomings, and suggested we shift the discussion back to our own affairs. I, of course, being a (sometimes defensive!) Law of Attraction coach tried to validate the merits of our digression, saying there was no malice in our words - that we were just using the other person's behavior as a vehicle for learning. Thankfully, my friend wasn't completely buying in.

The
New Year is a time to wipe the slate clean. With heartfelt zeal, we can
earnestly make a new start. As the great Zen master Suzuki-roshi used to
say, we contact what is called the beginner’s mind, a real hope for
keeping new resolutions about ourselves. Of course it’s great to post
such resolutions in your office or on the refrigerator, keeping them right
before you as you strive for personal change. But if you really want to
stop being late or to cease yelling at your husband,your willpower will flow more constantly if you find your inner
center and practice the new pattern of behavior from your heart. Since
change is so hard, particularly in areas where we have shown considerable
weakness, here are five helpful ways to find our center within ourselves
and hold fast to the new behavior we want in the New Year:

We’re
here to find that dimension within ourselves that is deeper than thought.

This teaching isn’t
based on knowledge, on new interesting facts, new information. The world
is full of that already. You can push any button on the many devices you
have and get information. You’re drowning in information.

Are Secrets Spoiling
Your Spiritual Life?by John Howard Prin, LADC
As an addictions counselor, I often see people who want to grow
spiritually but who are using addictions as shortcuts to their goals. Over
the years I've identified two major conditions that persons trapped in
addiction claim for staying addicted: boredom and misery. These misguided
folks persist in heavy drinking, compulsive shopping, internet
pornography, shoplifting, eating disorders, and more in order to achieve
the mood change from negative emotions that they seek — in order to
escape from their boredom or pain and achieve what feels like a spiritual
high. Unfortunately once the high disappears, what is left is shame,
guilt, remorse, and disapproval from the important people in their lives.
This tends to lead to secrecy. Avoiding the shame, guilt, and remorse is a
whopping challenge in itself and failure, or refusal to even try, is rife.
About one-third of the clients whom I see actively steal hours away from
their public lives, including home and work lives, to indulge in their
hidden addictive habits — secretly attempting to reach transcendence
from reality.

Looking for a new relationship does not have to be a stressful process.
It’s supposed to be fun, never mind blind dates from the internet or
those matchmaking efforts of your sister, cousin, dentist… In the spirit
of fun and spiritual growth, here are some terrific rituals to help you
enhance the love around you and motivate you to find someone special.

Many of us long for an underlying sense of meaning, something we can still believe in no matter what happens to us, a navigational force to pull all the disparate pieces of our lives together into some kind of whole. Perhaps we find ourselves feeling helpless when even a little too much of the unexpected occurs, defenseless when we find we don’t have control over a situation and can’t fathom what might happen next, unsure of where to turn when we aren’t having the positive effect we want with a troubled family member or a friend. In any of these circumstances, and in so many more, we shut down. Then we go through the motions of our day, day after day, without much dynamism or spirit.

Exploring New Relationships Without
Losing Yourself Or Getting Hurt by Margaret Paul, Ph.D.

Katie had not been in a relationship in ten years, and she was scared to death. In her last relationship, she had lost herself completely and then felt devastated when her boyfriend of three years left her for another woman.

The Biggest Mistake Men Make in Relationshipsby Helene Rothschild
“I don’t understand,” said Don. “My business is going well. I’m a good provider. I give my wife and the children everything they want. We live in a beautiful house and we drive expensive cars. Last winter I took the whole family on a trip to Mexico. I don't fool around with other women. I do play golf every Sunday with the guys. But a man needs some recreation. I don’t understand why I seem to do so well at work, but when I come home I feel like a failure!

When my elderly parents fell ill, I found myself in a very human predicament: I was thrust into the role of parent and advocate while simultaneously dealing with the almost paralyzing fear of their imminent deaths.

Everyone’s been burned, cheated on and totally deflated by their loved one at some point. It’s not a fun thing to go through, and sometimes it causes the person to become disillusioned with the whole idea of romance, relationships or beginning anew.

Parent In-The-Box or
Parent Out-Of-The-Box: A Guide To A More Meaningful Parent-Child
Relationship by Dr. Trish Whynot
The parent-child relationship is rich with opportunities for healing and
growth. These opportunities become apparent when the relationship is
viewed from outside the box. It is hard for me to find words to describe
the awe and wonder that can be experienced from parenting
"out-of-the-box." It is a whole different world out there!

Relationships: Conflict Resolution Without Words
by Margaret Paul, Ph.D.
In the last few decades, partners have spent countless hours trying to “work out problems.” Yet over and over again they often come up against a major roadblock: they just don’t see things the same way. No matter how long they talk and how hard they try, neither ends up feeling really heard and understood.

We all want to be loved. If the truth be told, we long for love and will
go to great lengths to have it in our lives. We also have some pretty
grandiose ideas of how it should show up and what it should feel like.
Notice the word "should" here. It tells us a great deal about
how we REALLY feel about love.

Whether by accident, illness, aging or the cards life deals you any time
from birth onwards, at some point in life many of us face obstacles to
sexuality. As our culture creates “reality” TV shows like “The
Swan,” in which fundamentally healthy and able-bodied people go to great
lengths to be made over as culturally defined sex symbols, the very real
challenges to sexuality many people face remain invisible and unspoken.
These include:

Dear
Laura,
I recently lost my teenage son to an overdose and have dozens of 'what if
I did this or that' come to my mind. I belong to the Compassionate Friends
support group for parents who have lost a child and I hear that phrase
over and over. What insight can you give us parents who have lost a child
and try to blame ourselves when we shouldn't?
Brian

As a psychologist and life coach, I often find myself discussing the importance of saying "no" with busy, stressed-out professionals. Everyone likes the idea of saying "no" more often, at least in theory. But, when it comes to actually doing it, I hear a lot of "Yes, buts." In other words, "Yes, I could say no to that, but then who would do it?" or "Yes, I could say no to that, but then my boss would be upset with me and I might not get a promotion." Why is it so hard to say "no" to others?

In my closet, there is no box of love letters. Not traditional ones anyway.

Ten years ago, I worked for a consulting firm that had me fly to a Dallas client site every Monday morning and home every Friday afternoon. Weekends were a blur. Weekdays were brutal. In the middle of each week, though, the message light on my hotel room phone blinked -- and I knew there was something waiting for me at the front desk.

Aaah yes, the month of February is upon us. What comes to mind? Visions of
red hearts, chocolate and flowers? Romance, love and a significant other?
February is synonymous with Valentine’s Day. The day when another
special someone treats you and you treat this special person, and remind
each other of the romantic love you are fortunate to share together.

How can I, love, and you, three of the most misunderstood words in human language, be linked together to form our most sublime
sentence? Like a Linus blanket we refuse to relinquish, this seemingly simple phrase comforts us from cradle to grave. Since long
before grunts gave way to words, its message has been expressed by mothers to infants, children to their best friends, people to
their pets, lovers to each other, and, most notably, by those facing death to their God.

We are all on a spiritual journey. Some will consciously pursue it, others may be in denial of it, and some may use it as an excuse to appear superior by judging others as inferior or pathetic. The course we have laid out for ourselves and then forgotten at birth is shown to us with every experience we encounter. Our spiritual journey is our journey toward coming to know the powerful loving being we truly are.

Our physical and psychological makeup is influenced by the sexual
imperative far more than most of us realize or wish to admit. Entire
systems of psychoanalytical therapy (e.g. Freud) are based upon the
premise that we are primarily sexual creatures.

Recently I approached a traffic light where a man stood in shabby clothes
with a three-legged dog by his side. As I waited for the light to change I
looked at this scene with compassion and felt an urge to contribute
something. The sign he was carrying indicated that he was homeless. The
people in my car commented that he was a strong young man, there were
plenty of employment opportunities, and why should anyone give to people
who are capable of working. They indicated a kind of mild contempt for
this man soliciting funds whom they felt "should" be working. My
thoughts were on him and the fact that he cared for and fed this crippled
dog. I rolled down the window and gave him several dollars for which he
expressed enormous gratitude.

One of the most common themes that I see my fellow path walkers struggling with these days is expectations vs. reality. You know, as in having your expectations being completely out of wack with what you are actually living? While it’s a year-round task to keep the expectation demons under control, it’s an even greater challenge as the holiday season approaches.

Thriving:
Ten Ways to Make Peace With The Past And Create A New Futureby Suzanne Gold

Everyone comes into life with a purpose. You are a unique expression of
the universal life force at the foundation of your being. Spirit guides
you from the moment your life begins, and the people and events of your
life reflect your soul's journey. No one else ever has or will affect the
world as you do. With every act, word or thought, you are adding to
All-That-Is.

When you think of it, though, love is
actually the place we land in—if we’re lucky. What we fall through, in
the first wild, sweet flush of a romance is desire, and it’s a thrilling
ride with ups and downs of fascination, curiosity, joy, and passion. It is
possible to resist this exhilarating plunge, but few choose to do to.

Going through a divorce is a very challenging time in a person’s life.
It is hard to adjust to being single again, as well as living “out of
the habit” of being married, especially if you have been married for
many, many years.

How to Make Your Home a Healing Havenby Karlo Berger
How our households tend to accumulate junk is a sad indicator of the health of our society. Instead of acting as a receptacle for ever-increasing material goods, we deserve to have homes be our healing havens, where they can feel restored, where visitors can feel at peace, and where people can just be. Here are some simple ways to make your home the healing haven it deserves to be:

Money issues are encountered by many on their journey toward
self-discovery. Be it financial lack or difficulty enjoying the money you
have, money struggles are most often not the “real” issue. Money is an
energy and a financial issue is a messenger … it is an indicator … it
is a symptom. Financial lack can indicate a depleted state—an imbalance
with your giving and receiving. It manifests as more money going out than
is coming in. Financial lack can also be indicating issues with value,
self-worth or image. Financial struggles can be presenting a message that
you have placed too much weight on money. If you place your safety and
security on how much money you have in the bank, you have given it too
much weight and spending money could be frightening, even if you have an
abundance of it. These are but a few messages that your financial matters
could be attempting to bring you.

How to Stop
Being Judgmentalby Carole Tyler
"If her past were your past, her pain your pain, her level of
consciousness your level of consciousness, you would think and act exactly
as she does. With this realization comes forgiveness, compassion,
peace." -- Eckert Tolle

Our idea of what we want in love relationships is evolving. Once, a stable
partner with a steady job who could share the tasks of daily life and
provide companionship through both good times and bad times was enough,
and even something to be grateful for. In cultures where men and women
were paired off in arranged marriages, love, sexual-spiritual connection
and soul partnership were not part of the discussion the parents of the
bride and groom engaged in while negotiating the marriage contract.

Relationship Coaching: Is It Everything It's Cracked Up To Be?
by Allie Ochs

Personal or business coaching has helped thousands change their lives and achieve their goals. Yet, for the
skeptics it still is a fuzzy concept with little recognition for its benefits. Think of Celine Dion, who with a voice coach claimed world fame. Her coach unleashed what is known today as one of the most mesmerizing voices in the world.

Is coaching just a buzzword to capture another niche market of those seeking instant gratification and on the spot success?

Navigating through change is a constant part of living which greatly impacts our health and well being. There are a myriad of choices and actions we must take to keep our lives in balance as the escalating demands of the workplace, relationships, and being true to one’s self compete for our attention. The way we respond to the changing demands of these three areas determines the quality of our lives.

Animals And The Elderly: A Healing Combination-- The Remarkable
Bond Between Humans And Petsby Philip Devitt

A frail old man is slowly dying on a stiff, worn-out mattress. He cannot walk, he cannot speak, and he can barely see or hear. His cries of pain are almost inaudible. They surely do not reach beyond the walls of his small, cold room at the nursing facility that he calls home now. The room is warm and stinks of medication. It is a constant struggle to blink without falling asleep, and to swallow without having to be reminded.

What
better time to reflect on how consciously you love than on the holiday
that celebrates it. Many
of us continue to love the way we learned to as children by default. Our
parents were our role models for love and loving. They may have seeded
some beliefs in you around love that are not in line with your truth,
either directly by example or indirectly through situations you were left
to interpret...

As
always, my intention is to raise awareness. I ask you to stand next to me
and view experiences from a new perspective. If what I suggest makes sense
to you, wonderful, and if not you may want to tuck it away for
consideration at a later date or discard it. The choice is always yours.

Taoism is a spiritual tradition that embraces our sexual desire and uses it within our bodies as a force for healing and spiritual growth. Desire is a rich and potent part of our human experience. The Taoists think of desire, called sexual energy or jing chi, as part of our life energy, or chi. To be passionate is to be full of chi. The English words "desire" or "passion" connote a feeling of yearning and fervor that includes sex, but they also reflect our strongest feelings about life. When we are passionate about anything--our family, our work, our spirituality, an important social cause--we are investing our chi in this experience. Our passion is what moves us to action and ultimately is what gives us joy. We are passionate about the things that matter most to us.

After you have been hurt in a relationship,
the worst thing you can do is keep yourself in an endless cycle of
relationships. You have to take a breather between relationships. That
time in between is necessary to let go of any anger and release the
baggage. No one, besides a therapist, wants to deal with you and your
problems.

Happiness Versus Pleasure: Why We Control And How To Shift Toward Love And Compassion!by Margaret Paul

We are a pleasure seeking society. Most of us spend our energy seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. We hope that by doing this, we will feel happy. Yet deep, abiding happiness and joy still elude so many people.

The dictionary defines the word forgive as: [to pardon, as to for-give an
enemy; to cease to feel resentment for, as to forgive an offense].

I have heard people say this many times: "I will never forgive them
for what they did!", as if by saying this they are causing harm to
the person who hurt them. The reality is that they are doing the harm to
themselves alone. As defined in the dictionary, when you forgive someone
you "cease to feel resentment". Resentment, along with anger,
hate, jealousy and other negative emotions, will eat you up inside and can
cause actual physical ailments and disease.

The quality of your life is directly related to your standards. A standard
is a personal rule or expectation about the level of excellence you
require in something, and when you raise your standards you change your
life.

Dear Laura,
My lover died a little over two years ago. I would be ok with never dating again because I am still so in love with E., however, to get my children and my friends off my back about "going on with my life" I agreed to go out with R. R. is like the perfect mate (for someone else) and he is aware that I will never love him because of E...

Are
You Neglecting This Important Investment? Friendships Among All Agesby Royane Real

When I was twenty-two, I was befriended by a woman named Doris who was
thirty years older than I was. Although Doris was then a fifty-two year
old woman, she did not feel it was inappropriate to befriend me. She did
not operate with the social belief that she should choose her friends only
from people her own age. We became very close friends and remained so
until her death at the age of eight-two.

What’s missing? I don’t get it! I chant and pray. I meditate, exercise
and do yoga every day. I go to a godzillion workshops. Why don’t I feel
better? Why don’t I have the love, money and health I want? Where is the
direct connection with Spirit I crave?

You are in love and it feels wonderful. This love is different and you are prepared to do anything to make it last. To prevent this ship from sinking, you work hard to steer this relationship into a safe harbor. In the process, you lose yourself and your romantic relationship becomes all-consuming!

Stop Reacting and Start Respondingby Dr. Trish Whynot
If I could give you just one pearl of wisdom to help you make the most of
your 2005, it would be to stop reacting and to start responding. As you
learn to respond to your life experiences, you will see their function and
understand the way in which your experiences are defining your purpose.
What may have appeared random or chaotic will all of a sudden seem
incredibly orderly from this perspective.

The American Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: "What lies behind us
and what lies before us, are tiny matters compared to what lies within
us.” Little did he know that his quote would sum up the past, present
and future of women. He also didn’t know that women would emerge as
powerful pillars of society. It wasn’t until the 20th century that
American women were allowed to vote and it took even longer until they
could say no to sex in their marriages. What lies behind us is the history
of women, who paved the way to liberation.

Romantic relationships happen because of the hopes and dreams a couple has for a happy life together. The relationship will continue to be pleasant and rewarding as long as the hopes and dreams are kept alive by staying concerned with what is good about the relationship.

So it's time for a change. You've taken that hard look in the mirror and
you've decided that who you are is not who you want to be. Or perhaps
you're standing at a fork in the road and where you'd like to go requires
that you make some changes...

This year my focus has been on
integrating some new desires into my life, along with a balanced schedule
that will support them. In the midst of this process, I realized that at
the root of balance lies our relationship between our inner-masculine and
inner-feminine. When they are working in partnership, we are in balance.
Imbalance can emerge as ill health, unsupportive relationships or
financial hardships. As I looked back on health, relationship and
financial issues I have had in the past, I saw that the issue of imbalance
was at the root of them all.

Years ago, my minister spoke to us about how you could solicit the help of
your guardian angels to help with conflict resolution. She told us stories
about how she and others had successfully asked their guardian angels to
speak to the enemy's guardian angel...

Who do you consider as your worst enemy? The criminals roaming the dark
streets? Your boss who's killing you mentally and emotionally with stress
and harsh words? The people in office who are engaging in graft and
corruption, instead of helping those in need?

For every calling there is a purpose. Many times the purpose is befuddled
by our own limitations and prejudices. A very thin line of perception,
separates what is indeed objectively fair on one side, and having our own
way...

If you have never had your astrology chart
done, you are probably not aware of the enormous benefits astrology can
provide in the most important areas of your life. Astrology can help you
find your ideal mate by giving you insight into your romantic
compatibility with people. It can help you discover your perfect
career by shedding light on your strengths and natural
abilities. It can help you with health
issues and even predict potential concerns that might be coming
your way to either prevent them or know what to keep an eye on. It can
help you choose the best time to make travel
plans, contract negotiations
or invest money. And
astrology can give you immense insight into your emotional
issues that can be useful in alleviating suffering, improving
family relationships, and overcoming beliefs that may be holding you back
in life.

Here's the bottom-line truth we discovered
from our decades of work with couples in long-term relationships: People
can endure long-term relationships in many ways, but they will only thrive
if they do five things. In other words, you can grow older with your
partner in many ways, but you will only grow closer and more creative
through the steady practice of five actions.

Dear Laura,
I will be moving out of the state I presently live in soon, however my
house in this state has not sold yet, and my husband has offered to stay
here until it is. My major concern is that I do not feel he will be
joining me when the house sells. For two years we have had problems
since I found out he cheated on me. We are supposedly trying to work
our problems out, but, I get the impression, that he does not really want
to. I'm desperately afraid he will cheat again, and doesn't really
love me at all. I am very confused, and don't know where to turn.
What are your thoughts on this?
Jan

First off, it is important to ask yourself
what you consider a real relationship to be. You need to understand what
your needs and desires are from another person, and what you are willing
to give them. This way, you can see early in your first dates, if you wish
to continue and work towards a future together, and if the other person
feels the same of course (both sides count).

When I was a little girl, I often heard
adults describing the world they worked in as tough, heartless and devoid
of love. Messages like "it's a dog-eat-dog world," "look
out for number one," "it's a cold, cruel world" abounded...

Sacred
Bond: Black Men and their MothersChapter One
by Keith Michael Brown

Most mothers instinctively protect their
children from harm. Depending on the level of crime and violence in their
community, how a mother protects her children and how she teaches them to
protect themselves can make the difference between her children's survival
and their demise...

Every Day I Love You More: (Just Not Today):
Lessons in Loving One Person for Lifeby Nancy Shulins

IT WAS SIXTEEN years ago tonight, January
29,1985, when the big, bearded man in the dirty beige parka picked me up
for our first-ever date. It was a cold Tuesday evening, although we
pretended it was Saturday, a little trick we perfected during the years I
worked week-days and he worked nights and weekends...

The
Date Doctor's Guide to Dating: How to Get from First Date to Perfect Mate
Getting
It Right from the Start
by Bart Ellis

THE GOAL

It's the morning after another first date.
You had fun, you liked the guy, and he seemed to like you. Yet the phone
sits silent the entire day, and the day after, and the day after that. Did
you blow it? Why doesn't he call?

I want to ask your professional opinion
about a challenge I've had for the past couple of years. I am 47 years
old, in good health, happily married and am happy in my working, family,
loving world. I am having a difficult time performing sexually at times...

When I was sixteen years old a stranger
tried to rape and murder me. I was walking home at night past the
Brigham's restaurant where I had my second job, as a stranger came out of
the shadows and tried to strangle me. I tried to fight him with my
physical strength, but he was 6'1' and I was just a 5'6' teenage girl, no
matter how physically fit I was...

Every now and then I succeed in creating
it. A steady flow of friends find their way to my house for delightful
evenings of dinner and conversation. I love to cook, yet my inspiration
comes from nourishing others as I nourish myself. Countless others I speak
with share the feeling: cooking for one is a drain. There is more than
nutrition in breaking bread.

Do you ever feel like some days you've just had it? One more
customer asking you for something, your spouse being unavailable, your
kids yelling and demanding attention or the dog wants to be fed, when does
it end? Some days it seems more like we are in service rather than
feeling like we are being of service.

In April, one of my greatest mentors died.
He had been my teacher and friend for seven years. His name was Angelo and
he entered my life as a feral cat. Emancipated, ill and dirty, Angelo
arrived on my doorstep struggling to survive on the streets. In actuality,
he did not arrive at my doorstep at all. My doorstep and all that come
with it was far too scary for an animal worn in the cruel and neglectful
ways of the human world. It took many months of patient attendance for
Angelo to actually "arrive" on my doorstep.

The
Art of SpeedReading People: Harness the Power of Personality Type and
Create What You Want in Business
The
Principles of Personality Type:
Why We Do the Things We Do
by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger

People come in all shapes and
sizes, and, certainly, every person is unique. But you'll probably agree
that some people are much more alike than others...

The
Simple Abundance Companion: Following Your Authentic Path to Something
More
by Sarah Ban Breathnach

You are beautiful. Right now. Today. Just
as you are, just the way you look as you read those three words: You. Are.
Beautiful. Say it slowly aloud, as if the phrase were a foreign language,
for it probably is.

While multitudes of theories and
techniques to facilitate healing abound, in nearly fifteen years of
clinical practice I have found one element to be most fundamental. In
order to create an environment where emotional, physical and spiritual
healing can take place, emotional safety is a cornerstone.

The culture we live in is full of extreme
contradictions and paradoxes. While there are more and more possibilities
for gaining access to information and resources all over the world, we are
growing more and more isolated from each other physically and emotionally.
"Connection" has become what your modem can offer through the
world of the internet and e-mail. Relating face to face is becoming more
archaic as busy people just don't have time to be together regularly or
frequently. The tasks of daily life — doing — have taken precedence
over being in most of our lives.

Handbook for the Heart: Original
Writings on Love
by Benjamin Shield and Richard Carlson, Ph.D.

(The Power of Loving-Kindness
by Sharon Salzberg)

The power of love or loving-kindness has
been denigrated in our culture. There's a sense that a loving person is
abused, allows tyranny to reign without protest, and isn't strong. It's
almost a sense that love is a weakness. Sometimes there is the idea that
the loving heart makes people kind of smirky and sentimental — that
because of love, they can't look at suffering clearly or at difficult
things within themselves or in the world.

Creating a Life of Joy:
A Meditative Guide Preparing for Joy
by Salle Merrill Redfield

We are all capable of living
lives characterized by great joy. Within each of us is an amazing human
spirit that is strong enough to overcome pain and disappointment. And no
matter what our current situation happens to be, or what beliefs we may
currently harbor about ourselves, we can tap into that inner strength and
wisdom and move forward to create more joy.

The
Good Marriage: How and Why Love Lasts Happy
Marriages
by Judith S. Wallerstein and Sandra Blakeslee

Do They Exist?

ON A RAW SPRING MORNING in 199l, I shared
my earliest thoughts about this book with a group of some one hundred
professional women—all friends and colleagues—who meet each month to
discuss our works in progress.

The
Rules II: More Rules to Live and Love ByWhy The
Rules Work
by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider

Why do The Rules work?

Because The Rules are based upon
the basic truths of human nature! Everyone wishes we could be more open
and honest with men in the early stages of dating or ask men out, but
these wishes are pure fantasy...

Just
Your Type: Create the Relationship You've Always Wanted Using the Secrets
of Personality Type by Barbara Barron-Tieger and Paul D. Tieger

Susan and Jeff thought they were perfect
for each other. They met in college, enjoyed some of the same interests,
came from similar backgrounds, and married after both had had time to
establish their careers. Although they knew they were different in many
ways, they felt a powerful attraction that they attributed to those very
differences.

Real Love: Learning To Love Another
Person on Their Own Terms by Linda Marks, MSM

My friend Tony opened a door in my
conscious mind one evening when hi said, "Linda, you are really a
geisha." At first I was taken aback, not knowing what it meant, and concerned
geisha might have a connotation of powerless subservience. So asked Tony
what he mean and I learned something.

My husband had agreed to take out the recycling every Wednesday morning.
He often leaves for work before 6 AM, before sunrise when our neighbors
have not put their recycling on the curbside the night before, so he
doesn't have a visual cue...

Deep and meaningful relationships
are a
gift from the divine. While we may feel varying degrees of closeness or
estrangement with our blood relations, there is a primal connection that
is broken when a family member dies. When relationships end, short of
physical death, a deep psychic loss takes place, sometimes more painful
than death.

Twenty years married. Four
years divorced, and now we're six months into seriously dating—again.
Its not an uncommon scenario, but it certainly is one that makes people
smile when we tell them our story! Like a good ending to a movie, love
survives. Some people can heal. We're hoping we can.

The Ram is exciting and full
of energy. You always have a lot going on in your life and have little
tolerance for boredom—which brings us to guys. You are impulsive in love
and life. When you set your sights on a guy, you go for it with gusto...

Intimacy And Consciousness: Tantra
As A Way of Lifeby Sohini Genevieve and Carlo Pati

Relationship for us means we
love ourselves, we honor each other's unique individuality and we enjoy
ourselves. We support each other to experience wholeness in the present
moment. Bottom line we stand for consciousness and intimacy...

If you hate your job, your relationship, or
some other part of your life, you are not exactly a rarity. Many people
are caught up in their own personal crisis. In such a situation, it
becomes all too easy to moan, grumble, and seek to undermine others.

You are linked with your children for a
reason. You’ve somehow committed to spending your time on this
earth together. Each day provides an opportunity to nurture the
souls of those you love. It is possible...

I don't believe that there is anything new
I that anyone can say about relationships, or love anymore. Throughout
history, and prehistory, and even before that, people have been involved
in relationships with other people. There is no way around it; humans are
social animals and as such, we have what amounts to an innate need to be
involved with other people.

Dad fell. He slipped on some gravel in a parking lot while getting out
of his car on his way to get a haircut. It was an hour before a passerby
found him lying helpless on the cold ground that early April morning...

According to religion and modern science, animals can be taken completely
at face value. In essence, the modern notion is that they are little more
than robots made of flesh, enslaved to their programming and instincts.
Hence, is it any wonder that we are given dominion over them in the book
of Genesis?

As far back as Paleolithic times ancient
peoples fashioned clay and stone images of the Great Mother, images with
voluptuous breasts and thighs and the protruding belly of a woman who has
given birth many times. Her face is often featureless and her head tiny,
but her body is full and soft, the essence of fertility and nurturance.
Over the course of time the Great Mother was honored and worshipped by
virtually every culture.

A bond (relationship wise) is when two
people have a connection. Being attracted to each other and sharing common
values and interests brought the two of you together as a couple, but the
bond has not been set completely. Besides the fact that you have love and
care between you, you also need to see whether or not the two of you are
friends. Is it possible to be friends? Absolutely! As a matter of fact, it
is a must if the two of you are going to build a lasting bond.

He sat there in his room at the Franciscan
Care Center, watching television, Wimbledon doubles with those sisters
tromping their opponents. He was wearing his work shirt and pants, gray in
color, with his name embroidered above the pocket. We walked in, greeted
him and sat down to visit. We discussed things that were happening in our
lives, in the lives of people he knew, things going on in his community.
We asked about his health, and learned what he was going through.

LOVE is without doubt the greatest gift of
the Divine. LOVE is truly Divine. In fact, LOVE IS DIVINE. The divine is
nothing but a source of pure love. It represents love of the highest form:
Unconditional Love. The divine is not only a source of pure unconditional
love, the divine also showers unconditional love towards all of its
creations.

As a child, I always felt there was
something different about me. I'd look at other girls my age and feel
perplexed by their obvious interest in the latest fashion, which boy in
class was the cutest, and who looked the most like cover girl Christie
Brinkley...

by Alina Ruigrok
Fear is a feeling that too often runs our lives. Whether it is fear of
commitment, rejection, failure, death, flying, or any other phobia, it
tends to keep us from living our lives to the fullest. Fear can be handled
rationally and can be controlled if you are willing to work on it and are
motivated enough in controlling it, instead of it controlling you.

Have you ever wondered why all the people
who are seeking their soul mate end up disappointed and let down? I
have found that it is possible that there is no such thing, at least in
the way most people think about it. I have also found that if you
want to find “heaven on earth” with a special someone, you have to
adjust your expectations to a more realistic, humanistic level.

Prescription For A Broken Heartby Alina Ruigrok
Being heartbroken is a pain that no one can understand until they have
experienced it for themselves. You obviously have, therefore are aware of
how fragile your heart is right now. Healing a broken heart will take
time, but is not impossible, though it may feel that way at the time. It
is never an easy process to go through, but with the right prescription,
you will be on your way to recovery and happiness again.

Sexual expression
plays a huge role in relationships. It is way for people to show their
lovers what they feel about them through passionate and intimate ways. As
wonderful as sexuality can be, it is often misunderstood, which is why the
average couple faces sexual conflicts and challenges at some point during
their relationship...

Mistletoe. Holiday parties. New Years kiss at midnight. If you are single,
and not dating anyone, these holiday images can bring emotions ranging
from sadness to depression. Everything seems against you...

A Plentiful Harvest: Creating Balance
and Harmony Through the Seven Living Virtuesby Terrie Williams

As a child, I once listened to a minister tell a story about how he had
been called by God to preach. He cried as he told us about being healed of
his addictions and "carnal" living and compelled to worship God
and serve the community. Wow, I thought, to be handpicked by God to do
something special must be awesome.

As a single-born person, I have
always imagined it would be really great to have a twin. A twinship is a
partnership for life with its origins at conception or moments thereafter.
How amazing to have another person with a complete history of shared
experience in the world commencing with birth and ending when death do you
part! To get an inside look at the experience of being a twin, I
interviewed five twins — four identical and one fraternal, two siblings
of twins, a mother of twin toddlers and a friend of mine who worked with
twins among the children she taught...

How To Improve Your Love Life With
The Power Of Feng Shuiby Stephanie Roberts

Feng shui (say "fung shway") is the art of creating a home
environment that supports the life you wish to live. A key element of feng
shui is creating a smooth flow of chi (positive energy) through your
space. Chi likes to move through your home as though it were a gentle
breeze or a meandering stream...

Bones Would Rain From the Sky:
Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs by Suzanne Clothier

My only mistake was licking her knee. Until
that moment, they had been quite tolerant of me panting quietly under the
dining room table, a good place to lie on a warm summer's evening. I was a
smart dog. I knew I might have been cooler lying on the slick tile in the
bathroom, or even outside, shaded by the bushes along the foundation. But
I would have missed being with my family.

Take a look at the world around us and it
becomes readily apparent that we are living in a time of simultaneous
convergence and deconstruction. As there is a resurging interest in
spiritual practices in many circles, there is also a breakdown in the
patriarchal, hierarchical church structures.

The Tug of War: Withdrawing And Pushing In
Relationships
by Susie and Otto Collins

There’s a dynamic that occurs in almost every relationship that causes
conflict and disconnection. This conflict and disconnection is created by
a “tug of war” of pushing and withdrawing. In this article, we’ll
offer some ways to help you let go of the pushing and withdrawing
“dance” so that you can create a deeper love and connection.

Are you a fixer? When someone tells you a problem they are having, do you
immediately feel the need to offer advice? Is it difficult for you to just
listen to someone who is in distress, to just be there for them without
knowing precisely what to say or do? Are you uncomfortable with anything
being in limbo? Are you addicted to certainties? Does your self-esteem
depend on your ability to make things right for other people? If you're
answering yes to some of these questions, you are probably a fixer.

It is our birthright to achieve a simple kind of reflection that opens us
up to higher aspects of our spiritual self. Humility is one
essential attitude that is needed for promotion of inner spiritual
harmony. Any self-conceit, whether nurtured by arrogance,
intelligence, wealth, status or the praise of others, is an obstacle on
the path. Genuine humility is not posturing it requires a constant
willingness to deny oneself, to be self analytical, and to be open to
direction even when it differs from one's own preconceived ideas.

A channel named Rho once told me that relationships were about learning to
honor, respect and cherish. As I explored her words of wisdom, I began to
look at what I had learned about honoring, respecting and cherishing
growing up. I also began observing what my clients had learned regarding
honoring, respecting and cherishing themselves and others and how what we
were taught had impacted our lives. The results were rather enlightening
so I thought I’d share. Since growth and healing are why we are here,
why not enjoy the process. Relationships can be an awesome playground for
personal growth and healing when we can take our energy off of blaming and
direct it toward learning, healing and understanding.

The Fairness Of
Office Politics: Integrity And Political Motivation!by Edward Toupin

I hear many complaints daily about the "unfairness" of politics
in corporate America. Employees say that their managers "lie" or
issue "personal attacks" against them. Indeed, based on the pure
ideals that we are taught as a child, this might appear to be the case...

Two weeks before my cousin’s wedding I
resigned as her bridesmaid. It was a rash decision. She was overwhelmed
with the stress of planning her wedding. I was overwhelmed with stress at
work. An argument ensued. We did not speak to one another for two years.

Last week my husband and I went to war with
each other. It was nothing as dramatic as a divorce or separation; just a
commonplace marital spat with intense emotion behind it. It all started
with what should have been a joyous occasion: a trip to the maternity ward
to visit a nephew and his wife who had just given birth to their new son.

Although each gender tends to express itself quite differently, most
philosophical teachings agree that the soul is neither male nor female. As
souls, we incarnate into a gender in order to learn through that
experience. Through our experimentation with the various qualities of each
sex we are seeking to experience our true whole self.

The
Power of Love: Bringing Peace To Your Life Through This Simple Yet
Powerful Life Force
by
Jill Wellington

“Love
is the fruit in season at all times and within
reach of every hand.” ~ Mother Teresa

When
I began my television news career many years ago, I remember a co-worker
I’ll call George who seemed to hate me.I
was an experienced radio journalist when I was hired as a producer for a
television station in Saginaw,
Michigan.

"To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to
happiness." ~ Robert MorelyThere
is nothing in the world that beats the feeling of falling in love and
being in love! Many of us fantasize of meeting our perfect match and being
swept off our feet … yet more and more of us think of relationships as a
life partnership that gives us sustenance and allow us to share our selves
and our love in a deep and soulful way. We long for a strong and happy
unions and marriages, and home life that offers security and is sturdy
enough to be the foundation for all else we do in the world.

This article is intended to illuminate your experiences, expand your
perspectives and bring up some questions as to what is really going on in
your life. Do not accept what we (my higher self and I) say merely because
we said it, accept what makes sense to you and tuck the other
possibilities away for future contemplation.

Dearest Laura,
After my father passed away, my mother gave me her wedding ring which she
had made into a pin for me. When we were going for a reading, I wore the
pin. Before leaving for that reading, I realized the pin was gone off my
blouse...lost. During a subsequent reading this past summer, I was told
that my father took it back. I don't understand this. Can you help me to
understand this? Thank you. Susan

A number carry the perception that anger should be avoided at all costs.
This is actually a misguided notion – for if one avoids anger, one
merely succeeds in suppressing it, thus forcing it to build up. This
repressed anger eventually bursts forth in bouts of temper and acts of
hostility.

Relationships hold a high
place for most of us, especially women. We want great relationships with
clear communication, empathy, understanding, mutual trust and friendship
and fantastic sex - we want DYNAMITE RELATIONSHIPS.

My intention in this newsletter is to assist you in bringing to consciousness, your beliefs around being loving and being selfish. I hope to help you bring to awareness what you may be doing unconsciously. Behaviors and beliefs around love that were learned in childhood will be expressed automatically as adults. As you bring beliefs to conscious awareness, you can explore them to see if they make sense to you. Then you can either consciously choose to continue with them or do some healing around your experiences with these beliefs, and change them into something that reflects your definition of loving.

Positive Energy: How To Build Vitality And Stop
Energy Vampires From Draining You
by Judith Orloff, M.D.

Adapted from Positive Energy,
Harmony Books, April, 2004

I learned to honor my energy needs the hard way. As a psychiatrist who
specializes in intuition I knew how important it was to listen to my body.
Yet still I’d vacillate between intense weeks of speaking tours to bouts
of utter exhaustion at home. I couldn’t turn down “irresistible”
opportunities. Here was my dilemma--I trusted my intuition, and was
committed to living by it. But I had a blind spot: Although I was quite
successful at helping others at trusting intuition and leading high energy
lives I was ignoring my own energy crises. Finally my fatigue was so
profound I had to change.

Love is hard to find and even harder to keep alive. As Feng Shui consultants we have come across many Feng Shui design faux pas concerning relationships. Basically, there are three major Feng Shui keys in finding that special someone and holding on to them. The first Key is to make sure you are getting a good night sleep. After all, if we are exhausted the last thing we want to do is meet people or have sex...